Sing it with me…”It’s the most wonderful time of the year”

Oh! The smells, the decorations, checking things off my list, the euphoria of new things, and the hope of what is to come! Is it Christmas? Noooo…It’s BETTER than Christmas!

It’s BACK TO SCHOOL TIME!

I know, I know. Some of you out there are weeping big ugly tears because your precious little bundle is setting off for the first time by themselves–at the very beginning of their school years.  I’ve been there. Or you’re at the other end of the spectrum where they are about to go far away from home–off to college.  You have my sympathy.

But, for the rest of us–we are in the marvelous middle.

We have spent the past 10 plus weeks giving it our all. We have planned entertainment, play dates, and vacations.  We have taken our kids to the pool,  the movies, and various sports and day camp activities. We have played short order cook, fixed countless snacks, and frozen koolaide into popsicles. We have made countless crafts, play doh, and gooky sticky slime stuff. We have soldiered on when fights have broken out –playing referee and peacemaker. We have fixed up countless knee scrapes, bruised arms, and bumps on heads. We have held our tempers back –almost exploding– from hearing “I”m bored” for the 1000th time and we shown marvelous restraint and patience when wet swimsuits, dirty socks and piles of shoes were continually left like decorations all throughout our homes.  We have done all this because we love our kids, we want to give them magical memorable summer breaks, and because we’re good parents–it’s what we do.

But, come August–we’re done.  We happily pass the baton on to their teachers–so thankful to be done with our lap and relieved to have a seemingly eager, fresh from their summer break, responsible adult to pass them on to.

I’m sorry to say I can’t suppress my huge smile as I give my boys a last hug as I watch them trudge begrudgingly back into the school building.  I quickly feign sorrow as they turn back to give me one last wave. But, as soon as their little faces disappear–a huge WHOOP escapes my lips as I find myself skipping back to my car, whistling zipadee do dah and feeling giddy with glee. I haven’t had the house to myself in weeks and it’s GLORIOUS!  The possibilities are ENDLESS!

I’m going to soak in the joy, the freedom, and the euphoria of getting 7 solid hours by myself.  I’m going to do what I want, eat what I want–when I want (and not have to share). I’m going to do luxury things like:

• sit down in my chair and stay there–with no one asking “Momma where’s my______?” or “Can I have a snack?”
• leave the house and just go for a drive or a hike without having to pack snacks and drinks and wait for them to find whatever obscure toy they wanted to bring with them.
• take an uninterrupted nap and enjoy pure quiet.
• go to the bathroom without feeling rushed.

I might even go for broke and watch a show that isn’t a cartoon (gasp!)

Should I feel guilty for being this happy? No. This is a special right of parenthood. It’s a well earned reprieve from the always stressful, always challenging, always gut wrenching days of raising our kids. Three o clock will come, and the reality of what it really means for the boys to be back in school will hit me hard–homework, projects (parent homework), permission slips, lost lunch boxes, and emails from their teachers. To be honest–I’ll start missing all the noise and chaos that comes with having them home full time.

But not today. Today I’m going to enjoy all the magic and joy that comes with this “most wonderful time of the year”.